Is aerating twice a year too much for Zone 6a

This picture was taken in late spring a few weeks after aerating. I’m wondering if aerating again in the fall would be a good idea…

The submissions are in for the 2024 Lawn of the Year contest…

You just want to show off that amazing view. And I’m totally okay with that

Skyler said:
You just want to show off that amazing view. And I’m totally okay with that

A thirst trap I’m fine with

Skyler said:
You just want to show off that amazing view. And I’m totally okay with that

That was my first thought

I would just sell the house. How much do you want for it

That’s your view? Wow. Aerate if your soil is compacted and your grass is struggling. It’s not even necessary once a year for many people

Will it really benefit your lawn? Probably not unless you have a serious issue with compact soil. Given the health of your grass, it likely won’t help. Will it hurt your lawn? Probably not.

If I were you, I wouldn’t do it. You might not even need to aerate every year. It can be done as needed. I aerated every year for the first few years while I was building a strong lawn. Now, it will probably be every few years

@Roux
That makes sense - but keep in mind that aerating can create a better environment for weed seeds to germinate. So, it’s not without some risk

@Roux
Can you confirm if I got this right?

Golf courses aerate twice a year because they get a lot of compaction from carts, mowers, and foot traffic?

But a large lawn that isn’t walked on much might not need aeration at all?

Does that sound right

@Dare
That seems like a logical explanation. Though I don’t know much about golf course management. Still, I think for a regular home lawn, the difference between aerating once a year versus twice is probably minimal and not worth the effort

@Dare
Let’s just say that golf courses depend on how nice their course is kept, and they are held to a much higher standard than a homeowner’s lawn

After a certain point it’s diminishing returns, right? It might help if you haven’t done it for years, but otherwise… why bother

No, it’s not too much. But it’s not really worth it. Places like golf courses and sports fields aerate three times a year. But they are focused on turf. So it’s really up to you. For an average homeowner, it’s not necessary

I aerated twice a year for some of my athletic fields when I managed a large facility. The area had poor drainage and was heavily used with lots of traffic. So it needed it.

I don’t think your lawn needs it more than once a year. Depending on several factors, you could probably skip a year here and there without a drop in quality

Depends on your situation and how compact your soil is.

Is there a lot of compaction between aeration and do you topdress? Many golf courses aerate twice a year, and they probably experience a lot more compaction and traffic. Greens are often treated more than that due to practices like verticutting, but the idea is the same.

Too much? Maybe in terms of ‘the juice isn’t worth the squeeze,’ but it might not be harming you if you’re managing possible dryness

I would say if you use a riding mower, you should definitely aerate at least once a year. I got a zero turn this year, and it really seemed to compact my soil

Too much work? Absolutely.

Will it harm your lawn? No.

Will it help? Unless the soil is super compacted, no

It depends on your soil. Once a year seems fine to me

On its own, it can’t hurt, but if your soil isn’t compacted, it won’t do much.
BUT if you also add a compost top dressing at the same time, your lawn will thrive every year. Using good, high-quality compost is key